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Wasn't it the 1967 war that significantly changed US policy regarding Israel, fully forged the Faustian bargain we've made with Israel since then, locked the US policy on autopilot?
Prior to the 1967 War, the US was fairly aloof to Israel, or at least was cozier with the assorted Arab despots we coddled in the region, like the Shah and what-not. Seems like once the Middle East began slipping out of our hands and our demand for oil escalated, the US got ever-cozier with Israel.
It's unsettling to think that a more pro-democratic American policy in the Middle East would allow for a variety of anti-American states to come about in the region -- to be pro-democracy in the region means going against American policy. Almost like our policy has fuck-all to do with supporting democracy, and everything to do with ready access to oil. Once that oil is gone, will our diehard support for Israel continue? Time will tell. Judging from our past history, don't hold your breath -- there won't be a strategic reason to support Israel, anymore, and our policy will shift accordingly.
